Habrophlebia vaillantorum Thomas, 1986

Alami, Majida El, Vuataz, Laurent, Yaagoubi, Sara El & Sartori, Michel, 2025, Integrative taxonomy of the genus Habrophlebia Eaton, 1881 in Morocco (Ephemeroptera, Leptophlebiidae): new species, redescriptions, and morphological-mitochondrial discrepancies, Zootaxa 5642 (5), pp. 401-426 : 415

Habrophlebia vaillantorum Thomas, 1986

Figs 2C , 10 , 12D

Habrophlebia vaillantorum Thomas 1986 (in Thomas & Bouzidi, 1986): nymph

Habrophlebia vaillantorum Thomas et al. 1999 : male, nymph, egg

Material examined. 6nymphs in ethanol (GBIFCH00892912), 1 nymph on slide(GBIFCH01118423), MOROCCO, High Atlas , Al Haouz Province, Assif n’Ouarzane, 31°06'41''N, 7°58'34''W, 2190 m., 16.VII.2005, A. Abdaoui leg., MZL ; 6 nymphs in ethanol (GBIFCH01133089), same locality, 16.III.2005, A. Abdaoui leg., MZL ; 9 nymphs in ethanol (GBIFCHGBIFCH00892911), 2 nymphs on slide (GBIFCH01118427–GBIFCH01118428), MOROCCO, High Atlas , Al Haouz Province, oued Tagdet, N’fis, 30°59'19''N, 8°02'34''W, 2010 m., 3.III.2022, M. El Battahi leg., MZL .

Complements to the nymph description

In contrast to the description by Bauernfeind & Soldán (2012), the setae on the upper face of hind femora are pointed and fringed, not pointed and entire ( Fig. 10B ). Most of Habrophlebia species possess pointed and fringed setae on upper face of hind femora ( Figs. 11C–D ), except for H. lauta , where they are pointed and entire ( Fig. 11B ), and H. fusca , where they are entire and truncate ( Fig. 11A ). Thus, the character is not discriminant for most species.

The claw is described as possessing the most distal denticles reduced in size and is illustrated as such ( Thomas et al. 1999, fig. 12a–d). In fact, these denticles are diminished in width rather than length ( Fig. 10A ), and, as such, are like those of H. abietis sp. nov., which also possess this character.

The spines on the posterior margin of tergites differ somewhat from those by Thomas et al. (1999, fig. 14); tergite IX possesses more developed spines, making it similar to all other representatives of Habrophlebia ( Fig. 10C ), although these spines are obtuse and less pointed than in most other species. Spines on tergite VII are reduced and needle-shaped, as mentioned by Thomas et al. (1999). Those on tergite VIII are small and pointed ( Fig. 10D ).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Habrophlebia spp., nymphal habitus. A, Habrophlebia abietis sp. nov. B, Habrophlebia linae sp. nov. C, Habrophlebia vaillantorum Thomas, 1986. Scale bars: 1 mm.

FIGURE 10. Habrophlebia vaillantorum Thomas, 1986. A, claw. B, setae on dorsal face of hind femur. C–D, posterior margin of abdominal tergites IX and VIII respectively. Scale bars: 50 µm.

FIGURE 11. Habrophlebia spp., setae on dorsal face of hind femur. A, Habrophlebia fusca (Curtis, 1834). B, Habrophlebia lauta McLachlan, 1884. C, Habrophlebia djurdjurensis Kechemir, Sartori & Lounaci, 2020. D, Habrophlebia hassainae Benhadji & Sartori, 2018. Scale bar: 50 µm.

FIGURE 12. Habrophlebia spp., setae on hind tibia (outer margin up, inner margin down). A, Habrophlebia abietis sp. nov. B, Habrophlebia linae sp. nov. C, Habrophlebia dakkii El Alami, Sartori & Vuataz, 2023. D, Habrophlebia vaillantorum Thomas, 1986. E, Habrophlebia eldae Jacob & Sartori, 1984. F, Habrophlebia lauta McLachlan, 1884. Scale bar: 50 µm.